What’s the best way to end the week? Yep, I totally agree: A Friday Showdown is definitely the perfect cap to a stressful week, and today we’ve got an absolute cracker lined up for you.
This week we’re pitting two consultants that live and breathe cruising against each other.
More comfortable on the open water than on dry land, these consultants are the sea-faring pirates of the industry.
However they don’t wear eye-patches, most aren’t (complete) alcoholics, and instead of robbing passengers at sea, they sell fantastic cruising experiences to their much-loved clients.
Today’s battle will test each consultant’s ability to turn a potential cruiser into a bona fide cruise raver.
As we all know, some customers are a bit hesitant to commit to a cruise, unsure if cruising is really for them…
So how will each consultant deal with this type of customer?
We will soon find out…
We have an absolutely huge crowd here today – nearly 10,000 cruise fans have packed themselves into the Overseas Passenger Terminal here at Sydney Harbour to witness these two travel heavyweights battle it out in the metaphorical travel ring.
And this isn’t surprising at all: Aussies are in love with cruising at the moment, with around 4 percent of the population having experienced the thrills and spills of a holiday at sea.
TURNS TO CAMERA OVER RIGHT SHOULDER: **Whispers: And between you and me folks, according to CLIA, over two million Aussies will have cruised by the year 2020.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, Terry is still sick at the moment, and won’t be back in the ring for at least another week.
So Tina will be our referee again this week.
But it’s not all bad news for Terry, as the word on the street is that he’s been whiling away his time at home flicking through APT’s Europe 2017 Pre-release brochure and has just transferred his deposit on a “15-day Magnificent Europe” luxury river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest.
The price? Just $6,395.
He’s also taking advantage of the “Fly to Europe in Economy with Singapore Airlines” for just an extra $795.
Ok, end of plug.
Take it away Tina.
TINA: Thanks Shaun.
Today in the red corner we have Hannah from Cruiseabout in Perth, WA.
In case you don’t know, Cruiseabout is Australia’s largest company owned cruise retail agency, and part of the Flight Centre Travel Group.
Hannah took her first cruise when she was just 19 – sure, it was a booze cruise along the Danube in Budapest, but it still counts!
And just recently she was lucky enough to sail from Fremantle round trip on a two-day cruise with Princess Cruises.
She’s been back in the store for just over a week, and is keen to flex her sales muscles in today’s battle.
Let’s hear it for Hannah!
TINA: Look at that expression in her face guys! She’s ready for business…
And in the yellow corner, representing Cruise Guru we have Fiona.
Cruise Guru is a powerful OTA whose travel experts have over 30 years of experience, and over 1000 sea days under their belts.
Fiona’s been in the travel industry for over 15 years, first as an International Travel Consultant with Jetset Travel back in the day.
But five years ago she made the move to the online world.
She enjoys archery, surfing and she’s renowned for her mad skillz in making the perfect G&T – with Hendricks Gin, of course!
Give it up for Fiona!
TINA: Let’s have a clean and fair fight girls.
(BOTH AGENTS NOD)
**Round one.**
Ready? Set? Go!
And it’s Fiona that’s made the first move.
She’s just called her single client on the phone, built some excellent rapport (“So are you as happy as I am that Leo finally won an Oscar?”) and plunged right into a story on how she met her long-term boyfriend on the Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas last year.
She’s happy to report she’s deeply in love, and hints at the possibility of her client finding the same if only she took a cruise…
The old “tug on the heartstrings” routine!
And it seems her client is lapping it up: She’s just inquired on the next available cruise and how much she’d need to put down as a deposit.
Shazam!
TINA: Look at the guy in the background!
(CROWED ERUPTS IN LAUGHTER)
But wait, Hannah is rummaging around in her top drawer, and she’s pulled out a … no … wait … yep, it’s a VR Headset! She’s about to offer her clients a virtual reality experience of Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas!
These bad boys are gradually being laid out across Cruiseabout’s 68 stores in Australia.
And because Cruiseabout are a brick-and-mortar travel agency, Hannah’s able to hand this VR headset to her client – who has just sat down in front of her. She’s giving her a “try before you buy” experience of the Voyager in store.
Virtual Reality all the way!
(FIVE MINUTES LATER)
Looks like Hannah’s run in a bit of trouble. Her client isn’t ready to take them off…
And now it looks like Fio…
DING DING DING!
TINA: Unfortunately that’s time folks!
If there’s one thing we can take away from today’s showdown, it’s this: no matter whether you book online or in-person, cruise passengers are the real winners today.
But seriously guys, who do you guys think won today’s battle?
Back to you Shaun.
SHAUN: Thanks Tina. Send my best to Terry…
As you heard from Tina guys, the decision as to who should be crowned the winner in this battle is totally up to you…
**Fiona and Hannah are completely made up and bear no resemblance to any living travel agent.
***Did you check out last Friday’s showdown between MTA and Travel Counsellors?
